A ruined 13th-century fortress on a rocky plateau, linked to the story of the Shroud of Turin.
€260one way from Beaune with a private driver
Private driver from Beaune: 1 h 12 by road (96 km), €260 one way for the whole car.
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The ruins of Montfort stand on a rocky plateau near Montbard, about 75 minutes from Beaune, overlooking three small valleys. Its great screen wall and semi-octagonal towers date from the late 13th century. Volunteers of the association Mons Fortis have cared for the site since 1996 and guide visitors through its long and surprising history.
A first wooden castle was followed by a stone castle in the 12th century. Around 1290 Géraud de Maulmont, a churchman and adviser to the kings of France, received Montfort from Marguerite, viscountess of Limoges and daughter of the Duke of Burgundy. He rebuilt it with a high screen wall flanked by three semi-octagonal towers. Around 1350 the duke entrusted the lordship to Geoffroy de Charny, lord of Lirey.
After her marriage in 1418, Geoffroy's granddaughter Marguerite de Charny and her husband took the relics of the church at Lirey to their castle of Montfort for safekeeping. The castle later passed to the princes of Orange, among them William the Silent, and Amélie of Orange-Nassau lived here between 1625 and 1647. Between 1800 and 1830 the heirs of the last lords deliberately demolished the castle and sold its materials.
The fortress sits at about 317 metres on a rocky plateau above the valleys of the Dandarge, the Ronce and the Louère. Its most striking feature is the high screen wall with three semi-octagonal towers, built around 1290. Visitors can also see a deep well of about 28 metres, a vaulted guard room and a medieval-style garden. Excavation and restoration continue each year.
Visits are also possible by appointment from June to September.
Checked on on bourgogne-tourisme.com.
Volunteers lead guided visits on set dates in July and August, during the European Heritage Days and by appointment, with a free contribution instead of a ticket. Allow about an hour, and wear good shoes. Montfort combines well with Montbard, Fontenay and Bussy-Rabutin.
What to combine with Château de Montfort on the same day, nearest first.
Château de Montfort is about 1 h 12 from Beaune by road (96 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €260 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? Among the relics brought to Montfort for safekeeping in the early 15th century was a cloth venerated as the Holy Shroud, the one now kept in Turin.
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€260 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests
